EXCLUSIVE: In 1982 a couple of these little crowd-pleasers settled on the soft white sand between the large granite boulders that protect the beach from wind and large, stormy waves, and currently the population is estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 birds. Sadly the African Penguin has been classified as an endangered species, due to things like over-fishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and irresponsible tourism activities, and the Boulders Beach colony has also felt the effect, with numbers dwindling over the last couple of years. 01 Oct 2019 Pictured: African penguins, South Africa. Photo credit: Dan Callister / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342